The Cobra & The Canary Imaginary Authors 2012

I've entertained the idea of ordering samples from this house for some time so eventually I just took the plunge and did so. I've been away for work so I was gratified by their arrival upon my return! The extremely creative concept of Imaginary Authors rather tickles my fancy ... altho' I'm not going to allude to understanding it :).

I am Ophidiophobic (fear of snakes) so I thought I'd get this one out of the way first, pretty sure that I'd never wear anything with 'cobra' in the name. The title of this perfume does inspire a certain 'movie' to play in one's head, but I can't even look at pictures of these reptiles so I am firmly blocking that! Anyway ... The Cobra & The Canary has nothing to do with serpents, but it does have a lot to do with Leather and Tar ... and quite a bit of smoke!
The back story of this fragrance is actually about two young men going on a joyride in a Shelby Cobra, which being the petrol head I am (yes,yes, now you all know two things about me never revealed before lol) seems quite intriguing! It's a fabulous car I wouldn't mind taking a crack at joyriding in myself!
There is a definite 'smokiness' in the opening of this juice ... very much like tires burning tar ... but from a distance. It's nice ... a little bit thrilling! My skin also throws out lots of leather ... like well used driving gloves stained with the tobacco smell of unfiltered Lucky Strikes. All in all quite macho, so while I don't think I'd ever carry this off successfully, perhaps the hot dude in the passenger seat could! There is something homo-erotic about two young men going for a jaunt in a fast sports car ... or is that just me reading too deeply into things? I suppose this frag does have a James Dean-esque idea about it.
Once all the 'Asphalt' burns off, this fragrance actually becomes quite a comfortable wear. The combination of Hay and slightly cosmetic Iris along with the Tobacco and Leather is quite smooth ... the only pity is that by that time, the sillage is quite close and I would have wanted this phase to have more projection.

I cannot say that this first foray into Imaginary Authors has left me unimpressed ... on the right person The Cobra & The Canary would be fantastic, even downright sexy!!

Cobra and canary, asphalt and lemon, black and yellow. Danger, warning, does it sting? Well quite the contrary to be honest.

Some of you might have read my blog. I find leather in perfumes very interesting but very sophisticated. Same here. I’d put this in the industrial category. It has a bit of petrol/gasoline going on. It’s subtle though. Usually that sharp note starts bugging me after a while but now I just want to reapply. I believe the combination with supporting notes make it more manageable. A sour/sweet lemon, a dusty dry hay and tobacco flower. Very enjoyable. Can you associate it with asphalt? Maybe with some imagination, but if it wasn’t listed I wouldn’t.

It’s not a powerhouse. 4 sprays and you’re good to go, won’t offend anyone and enjoy for the next 8 hours at least.

One thing I'll give The Cobra and the Canary credit for is that when you smell it, you'll be able to detect most of the notes listed in its pyramid immediately. A very clear hay note and leather note sit right up front. Leather is one note I usually have trouble identifying, but I find the leather in this very true-to-life. it's not the leather of an expensive, designer jacket or pair of shoes, but something a little more rugged and worn. Next to it sits the hay, dry and aromatic, summer in a barn. Keeping in tune with the hay note, comes the tobacco--also dry, leafy, and fresh--the tobacco of unsmoked cigars and plantations, not pipes. These 3 notes work well together, and while they don't necessarily offer contrast or interplay, they create a certain warm, pastoral atmosphere that's comfortable and without disturbance. There's also a mineralic edge to the entire composition, which suits it fine, and stays in line with the drier, natural quality of the fragrance.

I smell The Cobra and the Canary and I envision a barn in the summer, on a farm where tobacco's grown, with maybe some mountains in the background, or a stream passing through (this accounts for the leather, hay, tobacco and minerals). Reading about it, I see the perfumer envisioned a young man driving a Shelby Cobra (the leather and mineral...asphalt) smoking a cigarette, after picking up his friend from the family farm (the hay). Either story fits, and what you imagine when you smell this could be something entirely different. But you will pick up on the 4 main notes listed in the pyramid. They're distinct and presented well, if not a little obviously.

I enjoyed this one and found it a pleasant, easy-going wear. Imaginary Authors succeeded in creating a very relaxed, personable fragrance. I'd have no problem throwing it on and heading out the door for an evening with friends. Thumbs up.

P.S. For a darker, more challenging take on hay and tobacco, you may want to look toward Sova by Slumberhouse. And for a more complex, chic, and modern take on hay and leather, there's Cuir Pleine Fleur by James Heeley. All 3 are great options and it will really come down to what you're looking for at the moment.

First an explanation of this review's title. What I'm getting at is:
1. I've never smelled anything like The Cobra & The Canary - so it's unique
2. It's not unique by throwing together some repulsive notes - it's quite wearable and nice.

The Cobra & the Canary starts out with a strong blast of lemon. The lemon scent is very realistic - not synthetic and doesn't smell like cleaning chemicals. It also has a touch of sweetness. The asphalt then makes its appearance. It takes on varying characteristics - sometimes smelling like asphalt; other times smelling more like engine oil. Finally, the leather, tobacco flower and iris come into play. The leather and tobacco form a nice blend, slightly emphasizing the leather over the tobacco. The iris is very subtle, providing a slight floral creaminess. No lipstick or makeup bag with it because it's way too subtle for that. Finally, I didn't get any hay and The Cobra & The Canary strike me as masculine and an industrial/modern type scent, not animalic at all.

The Cobra & The Canary was at its best for maybe the first hour to two hours, when the lemon was still noticeable. This combo of lemon, leather, tobacco flower, asphalt/oil and iris - in that order of prominence was so unusual yet so pleasant. As time went on, the lemon started to fade and other notes started to blend together and become less distinct.

The scent strikes me as quite bright and fresh - in fact, I think it would make a great summer fragrance. Once the lemon pulls back a bit, I got a more formal impression believe it or not. Nevertheless, I think it's very versatile. The Cobra & The Canary would also make a good intro for a guy looking to try a modern industrial scent.

The only drawback with The Cobra & The Canary is the longevity - I got a good 5 hours out of it before it was reduced to a very mild skin scent. I wish it had retained its strength for longer. Projection was at the low end of moderate.

I interrupted going through a sample set of a different house because I received an email today that Imaginary Authors is discontinuing The Cobra & The Canary. I found that pretty surprising because, as I said, it's so unique yet so pleasant and wearable. Certainly not challenging as, say Bull's Blood. I immediately placed an order for a bottle on the Imaginary Authors website. I did not see it at any discounters. What a shame it will be no more.

this one smelled so strange compared to what the notes entailed but it was a really enjoyable scent. This to my nose opens with a strong scent of Dr Pepper and leather. It smells like as if you took a leather coat and spilled Dr Pepper all over it. The lemon is there too but it’s a really only an opening note of citrus, and then it doesn’t really turn up afterwards. The hay here is earthy, grassy, and dry. The orris and the tobacco flowers add even more earthiness but with a hint of smoky sweetness underlying. There’s an asphalt note in this and it weirdly enough smells just like wet cement, like the sidewalk after it’s rained that morning. The dry down of this is a leather heavy scent with sweet earthy accords and an add addition of asphalt as a background note, but I think the combination all works very well.